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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29755902">Lights Are Low</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PetrichorIllusions/pseuds/PetrichorIllusions'>PetrichorIllusions</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kaleidotrope (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcohol, Clubbing, Dancing, Eventual Smut, Other, The whole gang are here, background Hal/Adina, lack of canon ages leading to Schrödinger’s drinking laws, night out, showering together</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 23:13:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,616</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29755902</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PetrichorIllusions/pseuds/PetrichorIllusions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“As the night goes on, the club gets ever more crowded, their space becoming tighter and tighter. Drew finds himself with Harrison plastered to his front, his hands finding his hips as Harrison keeps dancing, head tipped back against his shoulder. Harrison grinds back into him, and abruptly, Drew is over being with his friends.”</p><p>Or: Harrison discovers he was wrong to assume Drew hates clubbing.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Drew/Harrison (Kaleidotrope)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Lights Are Low</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This fic is dedicated to Hive, the award-winning “best nightclub in Scotland”. Hive, I’m sorry I did not adequately describe the stickiness of your floors. </p><p>Anyway, clubbing fic largely based on my university experience. I recognise that these characters have no canonical ages, and that the drinking age in the US is higher than it is here. I have chosen to ignore this lol, but if you prefer to imagine this is an au where they’re all actually on a year abroad then go for it. As above, I also blatantly stole a nightclub from Edinburgh to put into Stoneybrook, which I envisage as a small town at all times except when I need there to be a club. </p><p>Hal here was very much inspired by <a>Lamino’s amazing art, which you should check out here.</a> Adina is Drew’ semi-canonical flatmate from the Patreon fic, I have stolen her completely off EGT and Aja. Freya is my oc baby who you will meet properly in upcoming fic.</p><p>Title from Dancing Queen, because it’s Harrison all over.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Contrary to what most people assume, Drew actually likes clubbing. Not the Sidlesmith clubs - those are always a nightmare of trope outbreaks and overly drunk students. But the clubs out in Stoneybrook? As long as he can get lost in the music, he’s down. (That’s the biggest problem with the Sidlesmith clubs. Every so often, the music stops so that someone can have their big makeover reveal, or the bass drops off entirely, plunging into a love song, making it even harder to ignore the raging hormones.) There’s an anonymity about it, too. No one cares who you are in a club. </p><p>When Harrison finds all this out, he says they have to go immediately. Drew laughs, because as good as some of the Stoneybrook clubs are, he doubts they’ll be good at 4pm on a Wednesday afternoon. All that does is give Harrison more time to plan. </p><p>When Saturday night comes around, it’s turned into a whole event. A third of the Guys and Dolls OT3 live off campus — Drew still has difficulty calling them by their actual names, and not their stage names — so they’ve offered to host pre-drinks. Drew and Harrison are running late, as they so often are these days. This time, though, it wasn’t for lack of trying. (“But the <em> outfit</em>, Drew, it’s <em> important</em>!”)</p><p>Drew has managed to drag his flatmate, Adina, and Hal, and the two of them and Harrison had taken over the bathroom and every other mirror, perfecting Harrison’s eyeliner, Hal’s lipstick, and Adina’s hair. Drew had followed directions, grabbing them whatever they needed. The walk downtown isn’t too far from their flat, and Harrison swings Drew’s hand between them as they go.</p><p>The noise from the street tells them pre-drinks are already in full swing. </p><p>“Harridrew are here!” Someone yells as they walk in, and they get mobbed. </p><p>“It’s like having a bloody Regency announcer,” Drew says to Harrison, who shoots a fond look up at him before he gets pulled away into a conversation. </p><p>Drew manages to stick with Adina for a little while longer, though Hal disappears as well, over chatting with the radio studio interns. </p><p>“Has Freya got over her crush on you yet?” Adina asks Drew, who blushes, pulling a face. </p><p>“God, I hope so.”</p><p>“Let’s not risk it.”</p><p>They pick their way over to a wall instead, happy to chat from the sidelines. From here, it’s easy to see Harrison. He’d laughed, once, at the idea of him being a social butterfly. But tonight, in a room full of people he loves, it’s obvious. Each group he walks by open to him without hesitation, and others join too as if he has his own gravity. </p><p>“If you’re going to stare at him all night, I’m going to find someone else to hang out with.” Adina tells him, rolling her eyes. It’s an empty threat, for the most part. Of everyone here, she knows him the best, and so long as Hal is busy, she’ll stick with him. Drew wisely doesn’t comment about how Adina‘s eyes have been following Hal as much as his have been following Harrison.</p><p>The volume rises as drinks are drunk. Drew and Adina get into an animated argument about pop culture, which brings in the people around them. Suddenly Harrison isn’t the only one with a crowd around him, and next time Drew’s eyes manage to seek him out, he’s looking back. He winks, and goes back to his conversation. Drew suddenly wants to be right there with him. Adina nods at him, clearly having a good time, so he goes. But he’s barely even begun to cross the room before someone else calls his name, and he turns to see Wendy. When Cosmos Gemstone - or Uranus Jones, as he’s apparently going by tonight - finds them with drinks in hand for the both of them, Drew excuses himself, but when he reaches Lovejoy it's to find Harrison has moved around too. He’s across the other side of the room this time, and Drew looks at the number of people between them somewhat mournfully before turning back to his group.</p><p>And so the rest of the night passes: in amused glances across a crowded room; in steady circles towards each other that never seem to get them closer. Drew suspects Harrison is dying over how much of a trope it is. Drew himself is more interested in being able to get his hands on him.</p><p>Another problem with a group this large is that no one can ever decide when to leave. Someone must make a move, because suddenly there’s a flurry of action from those nearest the door. Drew seeks out Hal and Adina, but they’re not part of it, and Harrison of course is far too caught up to see what’s going on. That’s fine by Drew; it’s still too early for the club to be getting good. </p><p>It’s a relief to have more space, though, and when Drew thinks about that he realises it would be even more of a respite to have even more of it. He can reach Hal and Adina now, and he hopes he’s not interrupting something when he appears beside them. </p><p>“I’m going outside,” he tells them, “just for a bit.”</p><p>“Do you want company?” Hal asks, but he shakes his head. </p><p>“Just didn’t want you to think I’d left without you.”</p><p>He does as he intends, leaning against the wall outside and drinking in the fresh air. He’s still soaking in the cold when the door opens again, and Harrison steps out. Drew pushes himself off the wall. </p><p>“You’re here,” Harrison says, and the relief in his voice belies something else. </p><p>“I’m here,” Drew confirms. </p><p>“I thought you’d left.” Harrison sounds worried about it, but Drew grabs his hands, pulls him in close. </p><p>“I wouldn’t leave you. I couldn’t get to you though, so I told Hal where I was going.”</p><p>Harrison gasps. </p><p>“Do you think tonight’s the night for her and Adina?” He asks, volume shooting up in his excitement.</p><p>Drew sees the subject change for what it is, and doesn’t take the bait. </p><p>“I’m not planning on disappearing on you, you know?”</p><p>Harrison looks caught out. “I- know. I do know. It’s just, I’d been able to find you all night and then I couldn’t, and— yeah.”</p><p>Drew wraps Harrison’s arms around himself, pressing a kiss to the side of his head. Harrison takes a few deep breaths, then lets the tension drain from his body. He lifts his head, dropping a kiss to Drew’s nose. </p><p>“Thank you for waiting, then.”</p><p>Drew, too busy looking at his lips, doesn’t respond. </p><p>“We’ve not even got to the club yet,” Harrison laughs, poking him in the ribs. </p><p>“Oh, so you don’t want to make out with me against this conveniently nearby wall?”</p><p>“Shut up,” Harrison tells him fondly, and pushes him against the wall.</p><p><br/>An indeterminate time later, the door opens again. They’re both more than happy to ignore it. </p><p>“Get a room!” It’s Hal’s voice: gleeful. In perfect, unplanned synchronisation, Drew and Harrison flip her off, not breaking the kiss. </p><p>“Get your tongue out of his throat, Harrison, it’s time to go.”</p><p>Harrison keeps his tongue right where it is for many moments more than necessary, giving them a show before he finally pulls away and turns to them. </p><p>“We’re leaving?” He asks. Behind him, Drew is blinking dazedly. </p><p>“Cheap entry before midnight,” Adina reminds them. “So start walking.” Harrison does, pulling Drew along in his wake until he’s back with it again. As soon as he squeezes his hand, Harrison turns enough to wink at him, and Drew mutters a curse under his breath. </p><p>“Keep up, Harridrew,” Hal calls, used to corralling them.</p><p>The rest of the party is trailed out sparsely behind them — Drew has doubts that all of them even made it out. So whilst their friends are around, it’s mostly just the four of them. Hal catches them up on what they missed, Adina chiming in until they’re all in floods of laughter. </p><p>There’s a queue for the club - not long, but enough time stood in the cold that Harrison abandons Drew for Hal’s body heat. Adina snuggles into her other side, and Drew might blame it on the alcohol but in that moment every inch of him is love for his friends. Adina notices, grinning at him before she reaches out to pull him into the hug.</p><p>When they finally get inside, the change in temperature hits them just as hard as the wall of sound. It’s busy, and Drew braces his shoulders before taking the lead, weaving and pushing his way through the crowd. He and Hal have been here enough to know to avoid the main bar, and he keeps tight hold of Adina’s hand as he pulls the four of them towards the bar at the back. It’s quieter here, as expected, and they don’t have to wait as long for more drinks. Harrison orders them shots, and they clink them together before downing them. </p><p>“Let’s go!” Hal shouts at them over the music, and they leave their shot glasses on an empty table as they pass by, pulled back into the thick of it as soon as they get near the doorway. </p><p>Harrison and Hal have no reservations, pushing their way to a bubble of space and backing the four of them into a circle to hold it. Hal’s hips are swinging, her head thrown back. Harrison jumps to the beat, and even Adina is swaying in time. </p><p>Self-consciousness rolls over Drew. He loves this club for the music, sure, but also because usually no one here knows him. If he makes a fool of himself dancing, no one will remember in the morning, and if they do, they won’t be able to link that to him. But tonight, they’ve brought half the people they know. Just because Drew hasn’t seen them yet doesn’t mean they won’t see him. </p><p>His face must give him away, because Harrison shoots him a worried look. He pastes on a smile, joining in Adina’s swaying, and then Hal insists he twirl her. Harrison and Adina can’t be left out, so it’s their turn next, and Drew finds himself laughing, even as his body feels stiff and clumsy. Harrison turns out of the spin and steps into Drew’s arms. </p><p>“You’re thinking too much!” He yells. </p><p>“Sorry,” Drew says, and it’s not loud enough to be heard, but Harrison gives him a Look anyway. </p><p>“You need another drink.” Harrison decides, and to be fair, he might be onto something there. They leave Hal and Adina to it, going back to the bar. Harrison sticks tight to his side, letting Drew yell their requests at the bartender.</p><p>When they come, Harrison pulls him over to a table. They don’t bother sitting, but it gets them out of the way of the main path through. It’s not peaceful, not with everything around them, but there’s a kind of privacy to it that Drew’s grateful for. He drinks this drink more slowly, and Harrison matches his pace. There’s no use talking, but Harrison strokes his thumb across the pulse point of Drew’s wrist. It’s calming, true, but also: Drew <em> wants</em>. </p><p>Harrison notices, because of course Harrison notices. He drains his drink, stretching out the column of his throat, the colours of the club lights illuminating his skin. Drew can’t resist; he presses his lips there. Harrison lets him, but doesn’t let Drew do more than that. </p><p>“Dance with me,” he calls instead, and Drew’s hesitance is forgotten. Harrison pulls him by the hand, and they pick their way over to where they’d left Hal and Adina. The crowd has shifted, but Drew cranes his neck until he spots them. They’ve got company: Rosa and Sabrina are dancing (fake-dancing?) with them, along with Sam, Wendy, and Uranus. </p><p>It would take far more alcohol than Drew has consumed to understand <em> that</em>, but, Drew realises, no one will be paying attention to him if that’s Cosmos’ idea of dancing. Harrison turns back to him, and Drew grins at him, letting the music wash over him finally. He moves with the bass, and Harrison runs his hands down his chest to settle over his hips. Hal meets his eyes over Harrison’s head, and she nods approvingly from where she’s back to back with Adina, the two of them drawing eyes from everyone around.</p><p>It must hit midnight, because the strobes flash so intensely that Drew has to close his eyes, and then the song ends and the floor erupts into cheers as the DJ switches to cheese. Their circle of space collapses in, all of them screaming the lyrics as they jump, hands in the air. And it’s <em> this</em>, <em> this </em> is what Drew loves: the crowd no longer restrictive as everyone moves as one, no thoughts for anything but the music.</p><p>The Killers fade into ABBA without a second of pause, and when Drew looks up he realises the OT3 have made it, and Lisa and her barista boyfriend, and someone he suspects might be Andromeda. Maybe there is something to be said for being with friends, Drew thinks, and he pushes Harrison into the centre of it all. Hal grabs him, and they scream Mamma Mia at each other, dramatics dialled up to one hundred. They pull Wendy in at the next song, the three of them at the heart of everything. Lovejoy careens into them, and Sabrina offers a hand to an awkward looking Stanwyck, who’s shuffling his shoulders to the music.</p><p>The music plays on, and their group waxes and wanes as people wander to the bar, to the other dance floor, always ending up back here. Adina and Hal disappear for a while, showing up later with plastic cups of water for both Drew and Harrison, who gulp them down gratefully. As the night goes on, the club gets ever more crowded, their space becoming tighter and tighter. Drew finds himself with Harrison plastered to his front, his hands finding his hips as Harrison keeps dancing, head tipped back against his shoulder. </p><p>Harrison grinds back into him, and abruptly, Drew is over being with his friends. He spins Harrison to face him; Harrison, whose smile is wicked, as if this has been his intention all along. Well. Two can play at that game. Drew pulls him flush against him, hand on the small of his back. The air around them is hazy with smoke as Drew shifts his thigh between Harrison’s legs. The noise Harrison makes is audible to Drew even over the music. His hands climb up to wrap around Drew’s neck, running his hands through his sweat-soaked hair. Harrison’s breath comes in hot pants on Drew’s neck as they sink against each other in time to the song. </p><p>Someone knocks into Drew’s back, forcing space between them as they stumble. Drew comes back to himself a little; enough to notice that whilst their friends may be decisively ignoring them, they’re still very... present. </p><p>That, too, can be fixed. </p><p>“Stay here,” Drew shouts to Harrison, who ignores him to bite at his neck. </p><p>“Hold that thought,” he tries, doubting Harrison will be able to hear that. He loops his way over to Hal, yelling something in her ear that makes her laugh, then turn to wink at Harrison. Harrison tries to keep dancing, but frankly, he’s forgotten the beat.</p><p>Then Drew is with him again, tugging him away by the hand. There’s a breeze running through the middle bar, and it’s almost a relief, but Drew doesn’t stop, weaving through the corridors until they get to the main room. The beat is slower here, darker, and they squeeze their way through groups and couples until Drew turns back to him, satisfied they’re at the centre of the crowd. When they start dancing this time they don’t bother pretending to put any space between them. Their movements are smooth, sinuous, and Harrison’s hands roam up and down Drew’s sides, his back. Drew’s hands are in Harrison’s back pockets, directing them, and it’s not long at all before Harrison isn’t sure this really counts as ‘dancing’. He’s not complaining. He licks a bead of sweat from Drew’s neck, biting once again at his pulse point, at his collarbone.</p><p>Their rhythm stutters. Drew lifts a hand to his face, pushing back his hair before cupping his cheek and pulling him into a filthy kiss. There are people all around them but they don’t care — there’s nothing, nothing other than this. Harrison’s hands slip underneath his shirt, light touches to his waistband before his hands come back out, snaking up between their chests instead. Drew’s head falls back and Harrison takes the chance to mark his neck again, teeth and kisses against the damp skin. They’re both breathing heavily. </p><p>“Take me home.” Harrison says, right in his ear. “Now.”</p><p>And who is Drew to do anything but? He shoves his way out of the crowd with far less care than they’d entered it, pouring Harrison into a taxi and rattling off his address without even pausing. The ride is spent fidgeting, pressed to either side of the cab so they have even a chance of keeping their hands off each other.</p><p>It’s barely a five minute drive, and the cabbie snorts, but Drew tips him heavily, and Harrison keeps his hands to himself just long enough to get them through the apartment door. And then they’re over the threshold, and the door closes behind them as Drew spins and pins him to it. Harrison mirrors their position in the club, hands deep in Drew’s pockets to pull him against him. </p><p>“We should go clubbing more often,” Harrison manages, before Drew claims his lips as well. At this rate, they aren’t going to make it to the bedroom. Harrison turns his head to the side, and Drew kisses his jaw, returning all the hickeys Harrison has left over the course of the night. </p><p>“Adina?” Harrison checks.</p><p>“I asked Hal— to take care of that,” he says around kisses. </p><p>“Drew!” There’s something in his voice that makes Drew pull back, studying his face. </p><p>“You know I can’t resist you when you matchmake,” Harrison says breathily, urgently, and it turns out they don’t make it to the bedroom after all. </p><p> </p><p>They manage to keep on their feet, but only barely, leaning heavily on the door for support as the heaving of their chests slows. </p><p>“Bed,” says Drew, too spent to ask it as a question. </p><p>“We’re really gross,” Harrison points out, kissing his chin apologetically. </p><p>“Bed?” Drew asks again, hopefully. </p><p>“Sofa,” Harrison negotiates. “Then shower, then bed.” </p><p>Drew looks set to argue, so Harrison presses their mouths together instead. </p><p>“Come on,” He says, lifting Drew’s weight off him and corralling him through to the living room. He deposits him on the couch, then goes to grab them each a glass of water before joining him. </p><p>“You’re a genius,” Drew tells him, and sits up just enough to chug the water down before he pulls Harrison down beside him.</p><p>The couch isn’t big enough for two, not really, but neither of them care, Harrison content half on top of Drew. After the noise of the club, the apartment sounds strange around them, over-quiet and muffled at the same time. Harrison presses easy kisses to Drew’s lips, but the noise of it echoes strangely, making him laugh too much until he’s a giggling wreck against Drew once more. Drew is helpless but to join in, his hands settling in Harrison’s sweat-damp curls. </p><p>“Maybe we do need a shower,” he says. </p><p>“We <em> definitely </em> need a shower,” Harrison says. “Together?” He asks, as he does every time it comes up. Drew normally says no, and it’s true that the shower is barely big enough for one, let alone two. But he’s boneless next to Harrison, and so he says,</p><p>“Fine,” as if he’d ever want anything else. “We should drink more water too, probably.”</p><p>“Uh oh, sensible Drew is back,” Harrison teases, kissing him once again. Drew kisses him back this time, and for a while they forget again that they’re heading towards the shower. Finally, Harrison brushes a kiss to his cheekbone, and rolls off him. </p><p>“Come on. The sooner we shower, the sooner we can get into bed.” He says it with a smirk, but Drew yawns instead, the lateness of the hour betraying him. Harrison pulls him up, pressing another glass of water into his hand first and letting him drink before leading him to the bathroom. </p><p>The shower really is too small, but they’ve gone most of the night without personal space, and Harrison sees no need to change that now. He washes Drew’s hair for him, and then Drew does the same for him in turn. No amount of soap can wash off the club’s stamp on their wrists tonight, so they give up on that, stepping out of the spray and towelling each other off instead.</p><p>Their touches are gentle, but the ratio of kisses to yawns begins to err on the side of more yawning. </p><p>“We definitely have to do that more often,” Harrison murmurs when they finally crawl into bed. </p><p>“Any time you want,” Drew says, and doesn’t bother to add any caveats, far too close to sleep for that. He reaches out, pulling Harrison closer. </p><p>“Goodnight, sweetheart,” Harrison whispers into his chest. </p><p>“G’night,” Drew mumbles, bending just enough to kiss Harrison’s head before he’s out like a light. Harrison listens to his breathing, his lips touching his chest, and it isn’t long at all until he, too, slips into sleep.</p>
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